Study Notes

Don’t Let Your Sin Be Your Identity December 16, 2018 -

Read the Text ● 2 - Rahab Hides the Spies | epmkg.com/joshua2 ​ ● Joshua 6 - The Fall of | epmkg.com/joshua6 ​ RAHAB (Heb. rāḥāḇ, possibly connected with root rḥb , ‘broad’). A harlot who lived in a ​ ​ ​ house which formed part of the town wall of Late Bronze Age Jericho. Joshua’s two spies lodged with her. When they were pursued she hid them under drying stalks of flax on the roof. The pursuers were sent off on a false trail and then Rahab made terms with her lodgers. She knew that Jericho must fall to the servants of Yahweh and so she asked for protection for herself and her family. The spies escaped from a window, with her help. When Jericho was destroyed the family was saved and Rahab joined up with the (Jos. 2:6, 17, 22–24).

In the NT the writer to the includes her among ancient examples of in God (Heb. 11:31, and she is quoted as one who was justified by her works in Jas. 2:25. She is almost certainly to be identified with Rahab (av ‘Rachab’), the wife of and mother of 1 , ancestor of , who is included in our Lord’s genealogy in Mt. 1:5.

Rahab [rāˊhăb]. ​ 1. (Heb. rāḥāḇ “wide, extended”; Gk. Rhaab, Rhachab). A prostitute in Jericho in whose ​ ​ ​ house on the city wall stayed two of the spies sent by Joshua (Josh. 2). After hiding the spies on the roof and helping them escape, Rahab asked that in return she and her family might be spared when Israel took the city. She marked her house by tying a scarlet cord in its window so that this might be accomplished. Joshua kept this promise, and only Rahab and her family survived the conquest of Jericho (6:17, 22–25).

In ’ genealogy Rahab is credited with being the wife of Salmon and the mother of Boaz (Matt. 1:5; KJV “Rachab”); Salmon’s wife is not named in the Old Testament (cf. 4:20–21; 1 Chr. 2:11). Matthew probably includes Rahab (one of only four women mentioned in the Matthean ) as a reminder of God’s inclusion of Gentiles

1 Beeching, M. (1996). Rahab. In D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, & D. ​ ​ ​ J. Wiseman (Eds.), New dictionary (3rd ed., p. 999). Leicester, England; Downers ​ ​ Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

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Study Notes

in salvation history. Rahab’s actions in protecting the spies and the reward she received are 2 remembered at Heb. 11:31; Jas. 2:25.

Rahab the Prostitute A Canaanite prostitute who aided Israelite spies in Jericho. As a ​ result of her belief in the God of Israel, she and her family were spared during Joshua’s conquest of Jericho. Included in Jesus’ genealogy and praised in the for her faith and her actions.

Rahab in the Old Testament

In Joshua 2, Rahab plays a critical role in the Israelite conquest of Canaan by rescuing two of Joshua’s spies, whom he had sent to Jericho prior to battle. Joshua 2:1 introduces her as “a prostitute named Rahab.” The two Israelite spies spend the night at Rahab’s house or inn. When the king of Jericho learns of the spies and sends a party to arrest them, Rahab hides the spies and deceives the searchers. Then she delivers a powerful speech to the spies describing how her people had heard of the great victories of the Lord and how their hearts melted with fear before the Israelites. Hess notes that this is “one of the longest uninterrupted statements by a woman in a biblical narrative” (Hess, Joshua, 88). Rahab ​ ​ secures a promise from the spies that, in return for her kindness to them, she and her family will be spared in the imminent battle (Josh 2:8–14). She then lets the spies escape through her window, which was in Jericho’s outer wall.

Joshua 6:25 later records that Joshua and the Israelites saved Rahab and her entire family because she had hid the spies, “and she lives among the Israelites to this day.” This last statement generated a good deal of discussion among later Jewish interpreters.

New Testament

The New Testament contains three references to Rahab:

1. Matthew includes her as one of four women in Jesus’ genealogy (Matt 1:5), identifying her as the mother of Boaz.

2. The author of Hebrews includes her among the great examples of faith “because she welcomed the spies” (Heb 11:31).

3. The letter of James offers Rahab and as examples of faith and action combined. James 2:25 asks, “was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?” (ESV).

2 Myers, A. C. (1987). In The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (p. 870). Grand Rapids, MI: ​ ​ Eerdmans.

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Study Notes

Interpretation of Rahab

Interpreters throughout history have tended to treat Rahab very favorably. According to the and , she became Joshua’s wife (b. Megillah 14b; compare Matt 1:5), ​ ​ had legendary beauty, and was the mother of prophetesses, prophets, and priests (Midr. R. ​ .1, b. Megillah 14b). One rabbi considered her strong words of faith in Josh 2 to be a ​ ​ ​ reproach to Israel for its own waywardness (Pesiqta Rabbati Kahana 13). She has often ​ ​ been seen as an ideal proselyte.

In his retelling of the biblical story, Josephus portrays Rahab as an innkeeper. He might znh), which is most) זנה have chosen an alternate interpretation of the Hebrew term ​ ​ frequently translated as “prostitute” or “harlot.” On the other hand, he may have deliberately glossed over the issue of her profession (Antiquities 5.6–30). In either case, her ​ ​ “house” may indeed have functioned as an inn (Hess, Joshua, 83). In comparison, the ​ ​ and the authors of Hebrews and James all use the Greek word πόρνη (pornē, 3 ​ ​ “prostitute”).

Matthew 1:1-5 1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of ​ Abraham. 2 Abraham was the father of , and Isaac the father of , and Jacob the ​ ​ father of and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of and Zerah by Tamar, and ​ ​ Perez the father of , and Hezron the father of , 4 and Ram the father of ​ ​ , and Amminadab the father of , and Nahshon the father of Salmon,5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of by Ruth, and ​ ​ Obed the father of , 6 and Jesse the father of David the king. ​ ​ :31 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

James 2:25-26 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she ​ received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from ​ ​ the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

3 Moore, S. R. (2016). Rahab the Prostitute. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. ​ ​ Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible … ​ Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. ​

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